Perched on the edge of a gorge high in the jagged Hajar Mountains, the Alila Jabal Akhdar (968/2534-4200; doubles from US$358) looks set to become the ultimate alternative (or adjunct) to a stay at a seaside resort on the Gulf of Oman. The two-hour drive from Muscat transports guests from sun-baked desert into the cool heights of the Jabal Akhdar region, a sparse but authentic stronghold of tribal culture. As with its stylish sister properties in Indonesia and India, there is an emphasis on sustainable design; the 86 rooms and villas occupy stone buildings created to resemble flat-roofed Omani houses, blending in with the surrounding landscape as much as possible. Guests will be able to explore the area by four-wheel-drive, visiting villages  and terraced farms that date back untold generations. Hiking trails are also in the works, along with a menu of spa treatments designed to soothe mountain-weary muscles. –Christi Hang

This article originally appeared in the April/May 2014 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Oman’s New Edge”).